How to become a glazier, window fabricator or fitter

Official title: Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters

Also called: Fitter, Glazier, Fabricator, Glass fitter, Window fixer, Window maker, Gasket fitter, Window fitter, Window leader, Upvc fabricator, Glass fabricator, Window installer

Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters make and install pre-glazed wooden, metal or PVC framework, and cut, fit and set glass in windows, doors, shop fronts, and other structural frames.

Main tasks

• Examines drawings or specifications to determine job requirements
• Scores plain, coloured, safety and ornamental glass with hand cutter and breaks off glass by hand or with pliers
• Smooths edges of glass and positions and secures in frame or grooved lead strips
• Applies mastic, putty or adhesive between glass and frame and trims off excess with knife
• Fixes mirror panels to interior and exterior walls and repairs and replaces broken glass
• Sets up and operates machinery to manufacture windows and window frames

How to become one

There are no formal academic entry requirements. Entry is typically through an apprenticeship in leading to an NVQ/SVQ at level 3.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): Fenestration fabricator (level 2). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0744.
• Apprenticeship (England): Fenestration installer (level 2). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0743.
• Apprenticeship (England): Stained glass craftsperson (level 4). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0912.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £29,436 a year The middle half earn £25,705 to null.
• About 33,500 people work in this job now, and about 31,400 are projected by 2035. (-6.1%)

Related jobs

• Steel erectors
• Stonemasons and related trades
• Bricklayers
• Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
• Plumbers and heating and ventilating installers and repairers
• Carpenters and joiners

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Questions people ask

How do I become a glazier, window fabricator or fitter?

There are no formal academic entry requirements. Entry is typically through an apprenticeship in leading to an NVQ/SVQ at level 3.

How much does a glazier, window fabricator or fitter earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £29,436 a year (Office for National Statistics).

Is a glazier, window fabricator or fitter a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 33,500 to about 31,400 people (Department for Education).

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03